O Juiz

I first saw this film in Asia, and thought it was an OK action/sci-fi film (Max von Sydow gave the film his blessing). But when I returned to the U.S. shortly afterwards, I was surprised by how much the film was being vilified. And the reviews didn't seem to bear any relation to the film I saw in Asia. There seems to be an anti-Stallone lobby in the U.S., which attacks every film he makes (even some of the better ones like Cliffhanger and Assassins). I simply don't get it. He happens to have appeared in some of the best action films of the last decade or two. He still commands 8-figure salaries for every film. He lives like some kind of Olympian god. OK, so 'Get Carter' was a pale, pale (PALE) shadow of the original (though beautifully photographed!), but Sylvester Stallone is as big as Jackie Chan overseas. This might make some of you glad that you aren't overseas. It makes me glad that I am (that and the low cost of living). Keep up the good/bad work, Sly!

Continuing my plan to watch every Sly Stallone movie in order, I come to 1995's Judge Dredd.

Plot In A Paragraph: Judge Dredd, (a blue eyed Stallone) is convicted for a crime he did not commit, and he must fight to clear his name.

Armand Assante (an actor I normally like) tries too hard and over acts awfully, but he is not alone. Diane Lane and Max Von Sydow apart, the acting is bad, bad, bad (Stallone included)

In the Dredd comics, tradition dictates that Dredd does not off his helmet, thus his face has mostly only fleetingly appeared in full, but this mean Stallone would never show his face clearly, so to placate his ego, 15 minutes in to the movie and the helmet is off. It's a shame this movie doesn't work, as Sly looks the part, and it could have been a franchise. However the ball is dropped and he must take the lions share of the blame.

In interviews, Stallone said he felt the film was supposed to be a comedy/action film, and demanded rewrites to make it even more comedic. The director and screenwriter, however, had intended a darker approach, which led to many difficulties behind the scenes.Director Danny Cannon was so disheartened over his constant creative disputes with Stallone that he swore he would never again work with another big-name actor. He also claimed that the final version was completely different from the script, due to the changes Stallone demanded.

Sylvester Stallone did a great job as the stern Judge Dredd from the 2000 A.D. comic book.

I used to read a lot of the early Judge Dredd stories in 2000 A.D. Dredd was a law enforcer in a future time where there were no juries, no trials, just instant justice dispensed on the spot. If you were guilty the emotionless Dredd would issue whatever punishment he saw fit.

Back to the movie anyway. It's not always easy to translate a comic book hero to the big screen without changing things but they did a great job with this movie. If you were to look at a photo of Stallone in this movie and compare it to a drawing of the comic book Dredd you would see no difference. Stallone was Dredd down to a tee.

The story is great as well. Dredd is accused of a crime he did not commit and he must prove his innocence. The action scenes in the movie were fantastic.

All in all, a brilliant film. I just wish there'd have been a sequel.

It's unfortunate that "Judge Dredd" wasn't accepted by mainstream viewers or even received a cult following. I found it to be very entertaining. I don't see too many movies based on comic book superheroes that I honestly enjoyed. "X Men" for example went on too long, moved very slowly and took itself too seriously. "Judge Dredd" is a fast-paced sci-fi-action thrill ride that delivers from start to finish and has help in the comic relief department by Rob Schneider. Sylvester Stallone overacts throughout, but that's part of the fun. Watching him scream out "I AM THE LAW!!" makes you want to scream it out along with him, which is what I do whenever I view this movie. There are many quotable lines, which I enjoy reciting. "Judge Dredd" is not a deeply intelligent, insightful film. But it makes a great popcorn flick! This upbeat, funny, nonstop entertainment is a real treat for me to watch over and over again.

My score: 8 (out of 10)

It has a very bad reviews maybe... but trust me this is one very fun action sci fi movie... it may have some unnecessary and cheesy scenes but from beginning to end is fun and enjoyable flick. 7/10